People not using improved sanitation facilities in Japan
Japan: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 70,151 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Japan, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Japan recorded 70,151 people for people not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 3.6% on the previous year and up 61.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in Japan peaked at 70,151 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2,840 people, in 2000.
Japan ranks 106th of 232 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Japan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,840 people | — |
| 2001 | 5,728 people | +101.7% |
| 2002 | 8,637 people | +50.8% |
| 2003 | 11,542 people | +33.6% |
| 2004 | 14,452 people | +25.2% |
| 2005 | 17,371 people | +20.2% |
| 2006 | 20,283 people | +16.8% |
| 2007 | 23,209 people | +14.4% |
| 2008 | 26,126 people | +12.6% |
| 2009 | 29,038 people | +11.1% |
| 2010 | 31,950 people | +10.0% |
| 2011 | 34,831 people | +9.0% |
| 2012 | 37,694 people | +8.2% |
| 2013 | 40,528 people | +7.5% |
| 2014 | 43,341 people | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 46,163 people | +6.5% |
| 2016 | 49,002 people | +6.2% |
| 2017 | 51,855 people | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 54,669 people | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 57,447 people | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 60,140 people | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 62,690 people | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 65,192 people | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 67,683 people | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 70,151 people | +3.6% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 70,151 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 428.55 people, 163.7× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's 70,151 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10,588 people, 6.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People not using improved sanitation facilities in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +101.7% | 2,840 people | 5,728 people |
| 2002 | +50.8% | 5,728 people | 8,637 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15,923 people | 2,840 people | 29,038 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 44,748 people | 31,950 people | 57,447 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 65,171 people | 60,140 people | 70,151 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 103 El Salvador 75,817 people compare
- 104 Thailand 75,669 people compare
- 105 Tajikistan 72,720 people compare
- 107 Lithuania 61,535 people compare
- 108 Sri Lanka 60,195 people compare
- 109 Azerbaijan 59,330 people compare
More reference data data for Japan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.981 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 23.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using improved sanitation facilities in Japan?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities in Japan was 70,151 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 70,151 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,840 people in 2000.
- How does Japan rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Japan ranks 106th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.